Flame arrester safety device



y 2, 1939- F. G. D. MULLEF 2,156,509

FLAME ARRESTER SAFETY DEVICE Filed April 18, 1935 Frans G D. Muller INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 2, 1939 2,156,509 FLAME ARRESTER SAFETY DEVICE Frans G. D. Muller, Houston, Tex. Application April 18, 1935 Serial No. 17,002

9 Claims.

This invention relates to flame arresters, and more particularly to such arresters as are used in connection with oil storage reservoirs, for example. I

Among some of the objects of this invention may be mentioned, the provision of a cover for flame arresters to prevent the ingress of foreign matter or substances in normal operation, the provision of means to exclude rain from the arrester, the provision of a cover for the arrester which on the occasion of an actual flame or combustion taking place will be fusible so as to allow the flame to extend freely away from the arrester, simplicity of construction and other objects not specifically enumerated.

I have attained the foregoing objects and others hereinafter pointed out in the specification by constructing a flame arrester having a vent for communication with the interior of a container and a fusible cover associated therewith.

In the drawing Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective parts of my invention with the cover omitted, Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the cover and frame work taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an elevation on reduced scale of the arrester in position, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cover, Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the manner in which the cover is fastened to the supporting structure. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective showing one of the plates from which are built up the units providing the gas passageways of the arrester.

Considering the drawing in greater detail, the flame arrester assembly is shown in Fig. 3 in relation to an oil storage tank ill, the tank being connected by a pipe I I to a suitable flame arresting vent l2 with a fusible cover l3 at the top and a foraminous screening portion 14 connecting the cover and the base of the vent. This construction is such that the tank may breathe allowing the pressures inside and outside the tank to be readily equalized, the foraminous member preventing foreign materials from passing into the vent and keeping birds and other living objects from getting therein or about.

Fig. 1 shows in fragmentary perspective the parts of Fig. 3, the vent pipe H being flanged and secured by means of a plurality of bolts I5 or other means to the vent, breathing valve or other means i2. Mounted upon the top of the breathing valve is the flame arrester Hi. This member comprises a plurality of parts compositely making up the entire flame arresting body and including a plurality of substantially vertically extending passages I! in communication with the interior of the container to be protected. These holes 11 are preferably obtained by slots in substantially flat plate members such as shown in Fig. 6, a plurality of the plate members being positioned together. As will be seen, the slots or grooves ii are formed in one face of each plate member so that when the plate members are grouped together as in Fig. l, the back of one plate will close the open sides of the grooves in the previous plate to form the gas passageways. Cooling passages l8 are obtained by providing substantially horizontal members I9 which are separate from the vent openings. illustrated, the upper member l9 contains vertical openings 20, allowing the cool air after being heated to pass upwardly above the vent openings.

The member l2 may be of any suitable construction and may be a mere pipe section or a breather valve. The flame arrester I6 is fastened in an upright position upon the member l2 in the example illustrated. The base 20 which secures these two members together is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending portions 2i which are bored to receive the upright bars 22.

Mounted upon the tops of the bars is a frame work 23 which may be substantially rectangular or of other shape in plan View having a peripheral portion 24 and a plurality of interconnecting arm portions 25. These latter portions extend upwardly to a common point 26, and are provided with projections or shouldered portions which seat upon the tops of the bars 22 and are fastened thereto by wing nuts 32, secured on the rods by a screw threaded portion 33. A fusible cover member i3 is mounted on the frame work and is'provided with portions 34 providing substantially tubular protuberances which engage the shouldered portions 30 of the frame work, thus creating a firm seating of these parts. The peripheral portions 40 of the cover l3 may or may not be crimped under the peripheral edge of the frame, depending upon the exigencies of its use.

The safety device of the present embodiment is such that in normal operation, i. e. so long as the vapors from the interior of the member II are not ignited, the vessel to which it is attached will automatically equalize the pressures inside and outside and prevent explosions. The cover 53 precludes moisture or other foreign material from passing down into the vent grooves and the foraminous member l4 aids in this while at the same time preventing birds or bugs or any other objects from getting into the apparatus. If the gases which are given off through the openings I! should become ignited by lightning or any other means, an explosion is prevented by the flame arrester keeping its parts so cool that the flame cannot be propagated down through the grooves. An additional factor in this construction is the cover. The cover is preferably of light gauge aluminum, lead foil or analogous material so that when the flame burns for a short period the fusible material becomes heated and is then melted, passing away and opening the top of the vent to the atmosphere so that the flames can pass upwardly with unobstructed passage to thereby additionally aid in precluding any possibility of the flame getting inside of the arrester.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be clearly understood that variations in shape, construction etc. within the true spirit and scope of my invention are aimed to be covered by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety device for oil storage tanks comprising in combination a vent having gas passages and air cooling passages in heat conducting relation, separate from each other, and extending substantially at right angles to each other; a plurality of supporting arms at the corners of said vent; .a framework mounted upon said arms; afusiblecover on same framework; and a foraminous member interconnecting said cover and the base of said vent.

2. A'safety device for oil storage tanks comprising in combination a vent having gas passages and air cooling passages in heat conducting relation, separate from each other, and extending substantially at right angles to each other; a plurality of supporting arms at the corners of said vent; a frame work mounted upon said arms; and afusible cover on said framework.

3. A safety device for oil storage tanks comprising in combination a Vent having separate gas passages. and air coolingpassages in heat conducting relation; a plurality of supporting arms at the corners .of said vent; a frame work mounted upon said arms; a fusible cover on said frame work; and means retaining said fusible cover and said frame work on said arm.

4. A safety device for oil storage tanks comprising in combination a vent having gas passages and air cooling passages in heat conducting relation, separate from each other; a plurality of supporting arms at the corners of said vent; a frame work mounted upon said arms; a fusible cover on said frame work; and wing nuts retaining said fusible cover and said frame work on said arms.

5. A safety device of the class described comprising in combination a vent having gas passages and air cooling passages in heat conducting relation, separate from each other; a plurality of supporting arms at the corners of said Vent; a frame work mounted upon said arms; and a fusible cover on said framework; said framework having a plurality of upwardly extending portions, and portions of said fusible cover engaging said upwardly extending portions.

6. A safety device for oil storage tanks comprising in combination a vent having gas passages and air cooling passages in heat conducting relation separate from each other, and extending substantially at right angles to each other, a plurality of supporting arms at the corners of said vent, a fusible cover on said arms, and a foraminous member interconnecting said cover and the base of said vent.

'7. A flame arrester having vent openings through which inflammable gases are adapted to be projected outwardly, a fusible cover thereabove adapted .to intercept objects and prevent them from entering said vent openings, said fusible cover being so positioned with respect to said vent openings as to permit relatively free normal operation of the arrester before the cover is fused and a greater freedom of escape of heat from the arrester after the cover is fused.

8. A flame arrester having vent openings through which inflammable gases are adapted to be projected upwardly and outwardly, a heat destructible protecting device thereabove adapted to intercept objects and prevent them from entering said vent openings, said protecting device being so positioned with respect to said vent openings as to permit relatively free normal operation of the arrester before said protective device is destroyed and a greater freedom of escape of heat from the arrester after the protective device is ation of the arrester beforethe cover is fused and a greater freedom of escape of heat from the arrester after the cover is fused, so that the arrester will not become heated to the point where it will transmit a flame.

FRANS G. D. MULLER. 

